correct exposure to get a Zone VIII negative

[Chan Tran]

I didn't know that Ralph and of course I am not good in B&W film so I am confused. Film has different contrast depending of the type of film as well as how one develops it. If Zone 8 is 1.29 then with different contrast the other zones wouldn't have the same values all the time right? I am kind of lost here.

[Bill Burk]

I didn't know that Ralph and of course I am not good in B&W film so I am confused. Film has different contrast depending of the type of film as well as how one develops it. If Zone 8 is 1.29 then with different contrast the other zones wouldn't have the same values all the time right? I am kind of lost here.

I really have to buy "Way Beyond Monochrome" so I can give it to you straight.

But until then, I imagine Ralph is telling you where Zone VIII will fall on a Normal negative. When you want to accommodate different subjects you can use Multigrade paper to accommodate.

-or-

If you develop differently depending on subject contrast (as in traditional Zone System), then you could take Ralph's benchmark and use it as an aim point for Expansion and Contraction. For example N+1 you would want to develop until Zone VII test target hits 1.29, or for N-1 you would develop until Zone IX hits 1.29.

[Jose A Martinez]

I have the results of my first test roll. As I said before I shoot a roll of 35 mm HP5+, rated 125 asa, developed 11:30 m in D76 1+1. The net densities are:

zone I 0.125; zone V 0.575; zone VIII 0.930. Taking as reference the information from the book "The Negative" of Ansel Adams give for what he deliberately put in quotation marks as "normal" to print in a difusion enlarger, the results are ok for zone I and V, but low for zone VIII, that most be between 1.25 and 1.35.

My conclusion is that I'm exposing correctly but I need to increase the developing time.

So I have to make another test.

[Bill Burk]

I agree with your assessment of the results.

However, if you look at it on a graph and compare it with a drawing of an ideal graph. You will see that you are really close. This is what I would call being within 5% of the goal.

It's good enough to use and you can go ahead and take photographs.

Develop the next one longer, for sure. But even if you just do what you have here...

Variable Contrast paper will be able to easily work with the negatives you have just made.

[RalphLambrecht]

I didn't know that Ralph and of course I am not good in B&W film so I am confused. Film has different contrast depending of the type of film as well as how one develops it. If Zone 8 is 1.29 then with different contrast the other zones wouldn't have the same values all the time right? I am kind of lost here.

the zone system is often a bit like horse shoes and . handgranates.don't take it too seriously ,or your brain is going toend up in a knot

[Jose A Martinez]

I agree with your assessment of the results.

However, if you look at it on a graph and compare it with a drawing of an ideal graph. You will see that you are really close. This is what I would call being within 5% of the goal.

It's good enough to use and you can go ahead and take photographs.

Develop the next one longer, for sure. But even if you just do what you have here...

Variable Contrast paper will be able to easily work with the negatives you have just made.

You are right, with this results I'll have some printable negs, and, because it's easy to make another test increasing the developing time I'll do it. But suddenly I have the feeling that I didn't give enough time exposure to the zone VIII to balance the reciprocity factor, so I have a conundrum, expose longer for zone VIII and give the same developing time or expose the same and give more developing time, or both, more exposure and more developing.

[Jose A Martinez]

the zone system is often a bit like horse shoes and . handgranates.don't take it too seriously ,or your brain is going toend up in a knot

Maybe my brain is going tied up in a knot.